Systems and methods for wireless transfer of content between aircraft

• US 8,340,067 B2
• Filed: 08/29/2011
• Issued: 12/25/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 09/12/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Thales Avionics Incorporated (Thales SA)
• Original Assignee: Proximetry, Inc. (relayr, Inc.)
• Inventors: Buga, Wladyslaw Jan, Trent, Tracy Raymond
• Primary Examiner(s): Thompson, Jr., Otis L
• Application Number:
  US13/219,834
• Publication Number:
  US 20120003922A1
• Time in Patent Office: 484 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 370/338
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/18506 Communications with or from aircraft, i.e. aeronautical mobile service
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/06 specially adapted for file transfer, e.g. file transfer protocol [FTP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/12 specially adapted for proprietary or special-purpose networking environments, e.g. medical networks, sensor networks, networks in vehicles or remote metering networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/62 Establishing a time schedule for servicing the requests

Abstract

A system for wirelessly transferring content between aircraft. The system includes a first local controller positioned on a first aircraft of the plurality of aircraft and a respective second local controller positioned on each of the other aircraft of the plurality of aircraft. The aircraft are positioned on the ground within a boundary of an airport. The first local controller cannot detect a regional controller or any of the second local controllers. The first local controller: identifies content assigned to but not available on the first local controller and the one or more second local controllers, the content assigned by an administrator; detects content available on the first local controller and the one or more second local controllers; and controls transfer of content between the first local controller and the one or more second local controllers.

Claims

1. A system for wirelessly transferring content between aircraft of a plurality of aircraft, the system comprising:

a first local controller positioned on a first aircraft of the plurality of aircraft;

a respective second local controller positioned on each of the other aircraft of the plurality of aircraft;

wherein;

each aircraft of the plurality of aircraft is positioned on the ground within a boundary of an airport;

the airport is located outside a wireless range of all regional controllers, global controllers, repeaters, and base stations that form a GateSync system for distributing content to the plurality of aircraft whereby the plurality of aircraft cannot receive content from the GateSync system while positioned within the boundary of the airport;

the first local controller operates to;

establish wireless communication with one or more of the second local controllers;

identify content assigned to but not available on the first local controller and the one or more second local controllers, the content assigned by an administrator;

detect content available on the first local controller and the one or more second local controllers;

control transfer of content between the first local controller and the one or more second local controllers such that the first local controller and the one or more second local controllers receive at least some assigned content that is available.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein the first local controller selects a wireless protocol in accordance with the location of the airport as detected by the first local controller to establish wireless communication.

3. The system of claim 2 wherein the first local controller transmits a beacon in accordance with the wireless protocol to establish wireless communication with the one or more second local controllers.

4. The system of claim 2 wherein the selected wireless protocol comprises a frequency for wireless communication.

5. The system of claim 2 wherein the first local controller receives a GPS coordinate from a Global Positioning System (GPS) receiver to detect the location of the airport.

6. The system of claim 1 wherein the first local controller prioritizes transfer of content in accordance with a departure time of the first local controller and the one or more second local controllers.

7. The system of claim 1 wherein an airline that operates a respective aircraft of the plurality of aircraft selects the content that is needed by the respective local controllers.

8. A system for wirelessly transferring content between aircraft of a plurality of aircraft, the system comprising:

a first local controller positioned on a first aircraft of the plurality of aircraft;

a respective second local controller positioned on each of the other aircraft of the plurality of aircraft;

wherein;

each aircraft of the plurality of aircraft is positioned on the ground within a boundary of an airport;

the first local controller cannot detect any one of a regional controller, a global controller, a repeater, and a base station;

responsive to not detecting, the first local controller operates to;

establish wireless communication with one or more of the second local controllers;

identify content assigned to but not available on the first local controller and the one or more second local controllers, the content assigned by an administrator;

detect content available on the first local controller and the one or more second local controllers;

control transfer of content between the first local controller and the one or more second local controllers such that the first local controller and the one or more second local controllers receive at least some assigned content that is available.

9. The system of claim 8 wherein to establish wireless communication, the first local controller:

transmits a beacon; and

receives a request from the one or more second local controllers.

10. The system of claim 8 wherein to establish wireless communication, the first local controller:

detects a geographic location of the first aircraft;

responsive to detecting, selects a wireless protocol suitable for wireless communication in the geographic area.

11. The system of claim 8 wherein to control transfer of content, the first local controller:

detects content needed by the first local controller and the one or more local controllers;

detects content stored by the first local controller and the one or more local controllers; and

controls the exchange of needed and available content between the first local controller and the one or more second local controllers.

12. The system of claim 8 wherein the first local controller prioritizes transfer of content in accordance with a departure time of the first local controller and the one or more second local controllers.

13. The system of claim 8 wherein an airline that operates a respective aircraft of the plurality of aircraft selects the content that is needed by the respective local controllers.

14. A method for wirelessly transferring content between aircraft of a plurality of aircraft, a first aircraft of the plurality comprising a first local controller, each of the other aircraft of the plurality comprising a respective second controller, each aircraft of the plurality positioned on the ground within a boundary of an airport, the method performed by the first local controller, the method comprising:

detecting an absence of any of a regional controller;

detecting an absence of a beacon transmitted from any of the second local controllers;

responsive to detecting the absence any of the regional controller and the beacon transmitted from any of the second local controllers, establishing communication with one or more second local controllers;

identify content assigned to but not available on the first local controller and the one or more second local controllers, the content assigned by an administrator;

detect content available on the first local controller and the one or more second local controllers;

exchanging content between the first local controller and the one or more second local controllers such that the first local controller and the one or more second local controller receive at least some assigned content that is available.

15. The method of claim 14 wherein establishing communication comprises:

detecting a geographic location of the first aircraft;

responsive to detecting, selecting a wireless protocol suitable for wireless communication in the geographic area.

16. The method of claim 14 wherein establishing communication comprises:

transmitting a beacon; and

receiving a request to associate from the one or more second controllers.

17. The method of claim 14 wherein the first local controller prioritizes transfer of content in accordance with a departure time of the first local controller and the one or more second local controllers.

18. The method of claim 14 wherein an airline that operates a respective aircraft of the plurality of aircraft selects the content that is needed by the respective local controllers.